Earlier that day…
Sabrina looked around before shuffling her feet and swallowing. "Well… I was wondering if I could borrow something for a bit?"
Marinette smiled, only slightly confused. "Sure. I mean, I'd need to know what, but…"
"I need a miraculous," Sabrina blurted out. "Like, sorry. I don't know what the protocol is for things like this, but it's extremely important to me and I know I was a little off the last time? But Honestly, I just, I really need one for tonight. I don't care which one, but… Oh."
Sabrina stopped talking long enough to see the blood had completely drained out of Marinette's face.
"Sorry," Sabrina said, blushing. "Um, I guess I should have gone about that a little better." She looked around. "No one heard us. We're okay."
Marinette stumbled a bit before she got her breath back. "The wedding," she murmured. "That's right. I always wondered how you got a hold of Ziggy." She looked to Sabrina. "You knew? All this time?"
Sabrina nodded.
"And you never said anything?" Marinette said, bewildered.
"What was I going to say?" Sabrina asked, slightly annoyed. "I mean, it's not my business, and you don't need the extra pressure. Besides, it wasn't my secret."
Marinette allowed herself a small smile. "Well, wow. Thank you. I, oof. Thank you so much. But, um, you say you need a miraculous? They're… Sabrina, they're living things. They're my responsibility, and I only lend them out if it's necessary."
"Please. Just for tonight," Sabrina pleaded, her tone shifting to one of nervousness. "I know I'm asking a lot, but please. I need to do this."
"Why?" Marinette asked, concerned. "Are you in trouble? Is everything okay? Is Chloé okay?"
Sabrina nodded. "She's fine. I think? I…" Sabrina's voice started to waver. "Have you ever had, um, suspicions about someone you cared about?"
Marinette saw the look on Sabrina's face and took her arm. She led her down the street and into the bakery.
"Hi, sweetheart!" Tom called out from behind the counter. "How was school?"
"Good!" Marinette called over the crowd. "Sabrina and I will be upstairs!"
"Okay! Let me know if you need anything!" Tom whistled as he served a client a baguette.
Beside him, Sabine glanced over and muttered, "since when do they hang out?"
Marinette guided the smaller girl to the back and then upstairs to her room. She sat her down on the bed and dropped her bag in the corner. "Would you like a drink? Something to eat?"
"No, thank you," Sabrina said. She looked around and took in the sight of controlled chaos that was around her.
Marinette sat down in her rolling chair and locked eyes with Sabrina. "Okay, so, seriously. What's going on? And how would having a miraculous help?"
Sabrina twiddled her fingers for a bit and kept her eyes downcast. "I… I think Chloé… I think she might have cheated on me."
Marinette put her hand to her mouth, but she didn't say anything.
"I found something," Sabrina continued. "Something that basically spelled out how she felt about, um," she glanced at Marinette for a moment. "…Someone else. I wanted to confront them about it, and, and I thought having a miraculous would help."
"Sabrina," Marinette began. "Look, this isn't really how this works. I…"
"I need to know!" Sabrina nearly yelled. "Do you know what it's like, looking at someone day in and day out and knowing they're keeping something from you? Something that could rip your whole life apart? I can't do it, Marinette! I'm not… I can't do it."
Marinette sighed and rubbed at her eyes. She got up and opened her closet. "You can come out. She knows."
Sabrina watched as several floating creatures drifted out of the closet and floated over to inspect her.
"Oh wow," Sabrina said. "They're like Pollen?"
Marinette nodded. "Each has their own special abilities and traits. Strength, creation, multiplication, loyalty…"
"Loyalty," Sabrina said. "I think loyalty would be good, if that's okay."
One of the kwamis floated in front of her face. It looked somewhat like a dog. "Hi there," he said. His tounge was out and his tail was wagging. He looked overly excited. "My name is Barkk, and I love you."
Sabrina recoiled a bit. "Um, hello."
"I would like to help you, and be with you forever," Barkk said a little too eagerly.
"Calm down, Barkk," Marinette said. "Sabrina, look. These little guys aren't toys and they're not weapons."
"Speak for yourself. I am a living weapon," Stompp said. He puffed out his tiny chest.
"You're not helping," Marinette grumbled. "Ignore him. Ever since Tikki showed them how to work Netflix, they've been… Colorful."
"But, you give them to other people," Sabrina pointed out.
"When there's trouble, or when I need help," Marinette countered.
"And you've never used a miraculous to help with your own love life?"
Marinette blushed. "I was younger and stupider when I did. Nowadays, I try to take care of them as much as I can. Look, say I lent you one, and say you got hurt, or Hawkmoth targeted you, or something else happened? I can't… Sabrina, you're amazing, but I don't lend them out for personal confrontations. Too much can go wrong, and if you were to be akumatized while holding? That's… That's never worked out well. So, I'm sorry, but the answer is no."
Sabrina nodded. "I… I understand. You're right, Marinette. I'm sorry."
Marinette smiled. "Don't be. In fact, I think you'll be an excellent holder. Maybe we can start by going on patrol together?"
Sabrina perked up. "You want me to be a holder?"
Marinette nodded. "I really do, but not like this. Let's give it a shot once you've got your relationship issues sorted out and there's less risk of akumatization. Deal?"
Sabrina smiled. "Deal. Um, say? Is that drink offer still on the table?"
Marinette nodded. "Sure is. Would you like a juice? A soda? Water?"
"Water would be great," Sabrina said, smiling. She watched as Marinette got up and left.
The moment she was alone, she turned to Barkk. "Barkk, right? Would you like to come with me? You can help me out. Would you like that?"
Barkk stared at her. "You mean, outside?"
Sabrina nodded and smiled. "Yes, outside. Would you like to go outside?"
Barkk nodded and wagged his tail. "I would like that."
"And you'll help me?" Sabrina asked.
Barkk nodded again and wagged his tail. "I will do it. Because I am a good boy."
"Yes, you are." Sabrina said. She scratched him under the chin, which caused his foot to vibrate in the air. "Barkk is a good boy. Say, which miraculous is yours?"
Barkk nodded towards the necklace. "That's mine. I love you very much."
Sabrina took the necklace and looked to Barkk. "And… You're okay with this?"
"I love you very much," Barkk said, wagging his tail.
"Right," Sabrina said, still slightly unnerved.
When Marinette came back up a moment later to an empty room and an open skylight, she let out a long sigh. "Yeah, I should have seen that coming," she said to herself.
Notes:
So, there you go. That is how Sabrina got a hold of a miraculous.
NEXT CHAPTER!
Are you ready for danger? Excitement? A KNOCK-DOWN, DRAG-EM-OUT FIGHT?!
Well, tough. The next chapter is talking and a bunch of feelings. Yep.
Be here for all the hot, emotional drama! Tomorrow, same Bug Time...
BARKK: I prefer dog time. And I love you.
...Same Bug Channel!
